Northmount

There is another thread here somewhere that says leaving the belt loose lets you slow the machine by using your hand as a brake against the hand wheel. Good for going slower around corners, but I would need three hands to do that! If you loosen the belt tension, you should be able to get back to the way it was operating. I suspect the slippage allowed slower starts too. Tom

Supposedly in India or there abouts. There was another thread about tanned human hide a few months ago. I think there was more information in that thread. Tom

They don't have to be cogged type. Try to make sure you get the right width. Sometimes auto parts stores don't have narrow enough width. Tom

If you want to just remove the stains, try cleaning first followed by bleaching it with oxalic acid. Then add oils to condition it, and add what ever finish you want. If you want to keep his name (which I'm sure you do), keep the bleach away from that part. Tom

Looks like we are all going blind! Hope the blindness is only temporary. Tom

Slicking after tooling would destroy your tooling. Have slicked leather to remove accidental impressions. Also to improve the surface on cheap leather. Tom

Remember that if you lift the presser foot too high, you release your top tension. So the bobbin thread will lie flat on the bottom. Tom

For any fuel burning appliance, lamps included, remember you need ventilation. Too many accidents in colder weather resulting in asphyxiation. Stay safe. Tom

Yes, the green one in the video is what I was thinking of. Bought one about a year ago. Works great. But these can be fire hazard if not looked after properly. A friendly neighbour is a good idea. Pay him a few bucks, or make something for him. Tom

The old Coleman lamps with a mantel that use white gas produce a lot of light. Some heat too. Need to be very careful to keep combustible materials away, and inflammable solvent fumes too. LED battery powered lamps are better than the older battery lamps. Generators are noisy and need refuelling, oil changes, etc. So battery lamps seem to be best. Tom

eransh10, that would be photo-engraving, an etching process. A resist is photographically applied to the base metal used, then acid etched to remove the background material. Makes nice clean images, but no 3D effect. Tom

Several times I have had people hold an item up to their nose that has just been finished with a lacquer type finish and say how much they love the smell of the leather. All they can smell at that point is the lacquer and solvents. I have had leather with a real bad smell, almost sickening. Had to treat it with saddle soap, work the soap in with water, rinse it off well, and leave it to dry and air out for a few days. So when someone says they love the smell of leather, I always wonder what they are really smelling. Maybe a wet dog with some lacquer spray in the air would be perfect for some. I really think for some people, it's all in their head. For others, they know the real smell of leather, not just the finish or wax. Tom

See this thread http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=59404&hl= Tom

Good to see you back here. Seat looks really great. Tom

Roses are amongst my favourites. Nice job. Tom

Yes. Start with 50/50 and test it with your leather and setup. Adjust as needed. Tom

The welt doesn't need to extend around the spine of the book. Just go as far as the edge of the inside pockets. Though I haven't used a welt on a book cover, it would look nice and keep the outside flatter. Tom

With no belt, it should turn easily. If you have it belted to a motor, depress the pedal slightly to release the motor brake. Tom

I've done just a simple slip-on cover like this and laced the edges. This album had a hard cover, so no additional rigidity required. Are you looking at covering a hard cover or soft cover book? Tom

Take a look at this, it may help you figure out how to do your bookbinding. Tom

Bar keeps friend has been mentioned in several threads as being a good source for oxalic acid. Paint stores too. Also pharmacies on special order. Blue and yellow make green, so if there is a yellow cast to your leather, you will get a green hue. Bleaching with oxalic acid does lighten the shade of the leather. So may help. You need to test it to be sure. Several layers of dye may help to hide the yellow under tone. Or you could consider using an acrylic paint, like Angeus or Cova, or other. Thin the paint and build it up in thin layers. I was once told with Cova paints to add a drop or two of white glue to help it adhere and flex. Haven't tried it myself. Tom

Pretty fancy work. Your customers should love it. Tom

A list of suppliers with poly thread would help others find it, maybe even close to home. Tom

Applying the finish first helps to reduce the risk of getting something on the leather that is going to leave a permanent stain. With machine stitching, could get a drop of oil, or using pre-lubed thread can leave a stain/discoloration that you wouldn't like. With hand stitching and keeping your hands and tools clean, you have a lower risk of leaving a stain ... except maybe that red stuff in your finger! Tom

I'm moving your post to sewing machines Tom